Fall-leaf table



Nov. 18, 1924- 1,516,323

a. E. BlLTON FALL LEAF TABLE Filed Dec. 18, 1922 Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES GEORGE E. BILTON, 0F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

FALL-LEAF TABLE.

Application fi led December 18, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. BIL'roN, asubject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the city of Toronto, county of York, Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Fall-Leaf Table, described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form part of the same.

The principal objects of the invention are, to devise a table in which the leaves co-operate with the legs in opening or closing, so that upon the raising of the leaf the leg will automatically move out to support the leaf and the leg may be moved inwardly by pressing down upon the leaf after it is first released, or the leaf will move inwardly with the leg as it is moved into its closed position, thereby ensuring the proper support of the leaves and the stability of the table and providing a table which may be folded into very small compass but which may be extended to present a large top area.

The principal features of the invention consists in the arrangement of an inclined surface on the underside of the leaf to be engaged by the movable gate leg to raise the leaf and hold it in its raised position, and in the novel manner of automatic operation of the leg to move outwardly upon the raising of the table top.

I11 the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table showing the leaves partly broken away to disclose the means for operating the gate legs.

Figure 2 is an elevational view on a smaller scale showing the legs extended.

Figure 3 is an elevational View showing the legs and leaves in the closed position.

Figure 4 is a small underside diagrammatic plan view showing an arrangement of double coupled gate legs.

Gate leg tables are desirable principally because they can be closed to small dimensions but will when opened out present a large top area which is rigidly supported from the floor.

In the accompanying drawings the main frame 1 of the table is of any suitable design having the rigid top 2 projecting beyond the frame.

Serial No. 607,635.

one end so as to fold close in against the frame as shown in. Figure 3, or to be swung outwardly to almost a right angular position, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and t so as to support the leaves3 well out toward their outer edges when extended, the outer posts 5 of the legs extending to the floor.

Upon the underside of the leaves 3 are secured the brackets 6 which are formed with inclined under surfaces 7 which taper inwardly or upwardly toward the inner edges of the leaves. These brackets are set preferably at an angle of about forty five degrees to the longitudinal sides of the leaf and are arranged in the path of the outward movement of the legs so that the top bars of the legs will engage the sloping surface and sliding thereunder lift the leaves.

Each bracket is provided with a squared surface 8 at the outward end which when the leaf is fully extended rests upon the top of the leg structure.

Suitable stop lugs 9 are formed at the outward ends of the brackets to limit the outward movement of the legs.

When the legs are moved to their outermost position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 they will rigidly support the leaves and require to be swung slightly upon their hinges in an inward direction to clear the flat surfaces 8 before the leaves can be closed. Then the legs can be swung inwardly with the hand or with the foot or a downward pressure upon the leaf through the inclined surface of the bracket will. cause the leg to swing inwardly.

It is extremely desirable that the legs be operated with the leaves and two different forms are shown. In one form a length of chain or cord 10 is secured at one end to the underside of the leaf and at the other end to: the leg so that when the leaf is lifted the chain pulls the leg outwardly. A. short coil spring 11 is inserted in the chain so that its spring pull will carry the leg outward to its stop and hold it securely in its outward position.

In the other form shown a rod 12 is pivotally attached to the inner side of the leg and slides through a support in the table frame and a coil compression spring 13 encircles the rod. Upon the lifting of the leaf the compression spring 13 forces the leg outwardly. A sliding leg may be similarly operated to engage the bevelled bracket on the underside of the leaf.

In Figure 4 I shoW a pairof legs coupleditogether by a. link 1423504311311 both W111 operate together.

In using a table such as described it is merely necessaryto lift the leaf'andthe' leg Will automatically move outwardly and lock to hold the leaf raised.

When it is desiredtolower the leaf the leg is pushed inwardly a short distance and the-leaf W-i-llfallwvith it, or if the-leg is pushed inwardly until sufiicient to release it fl'Olll'thOlOCk on the squared .1001- tion of the block "6, a downward pressure onthe :leaf Willi move the 'legctoits closed position. v i

This construction and arrangement ob- Viates breakage through careless handling as either the leaf or the leg will" operate.

With the operation-of thecom-plement member. What I claim as my invention is:- 1. A fall lea-f table, com-prising; a frame,

a leg shorter thanthe frameand-hingedto the side thereof to swing in-a vertical plane and restingon the'ufioor, .a leaf hinged to the table top, and a bevelled bracket secured tov the underside of the table top to engage the outer'end of" the leg, said bracket having a portion parallel with and spaced from the table top to rest upon the top of the leg when said leg is in its extended position.

2. A fall leaf table, comprising, a rigid frame, a leg shorter than the frame hinged at the side of the frame toward one end to swing in a vertical plane, a leaf hinged eno. E. BILTON. 

